Receptacle



March 24, 1970 F. J. OTT

RECEPTACLE Filed Dec. 6, 1967 INVENTOR. FRANK J. OTT

PATENT AGENTS United States Patent U.S. Cl. 4-141 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The bottom of a specimen-collecting receptacle, which may be a bed-pan, is provided with a downwardly-extending well-like portion and the walls between the receptacle opening and the well portion are shaped to ensure that the specimen tends to move under gravity to the bottom of the well. At least the well is provided with suitable indicia. Small specimens can be measured accurately in situ in the well, while large specimens overflow into the main body of the receptacle. An embodiment for use with a toilet has means for supporting it safely on the bowl beneath the seat and can be tipped to deposit the contents directly into the toilet.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to specimen-collecting receptacles, such as are used in conjunction with a toilet bowl or the like for receiving and collecting specimens from the human body.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART US. Patents Nos. 2,446,160, 2,560,199, and 2,603,795 disclose prior art specimen-collecting receptacles which comprise a small cup supported by a structure beneath the opening of a toilet seat. In the prior art example disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,137,010 a graduated bowl is sufficiently large to close the opening of the toilet bowl.

The prior art receptacles known to me have a number of disadvantages, which it is believed are avoided, or at least are substantially reduced, by a specimen-collecting receptacle in accordance with the present invention. Thus, the receptacle should be as large as possible, preferably to the extent that for practical purposes it closes the opening of the toilet bowl, so that all of the required specimen will be collected, despite the dilferent attitudes of the patient. It is also desirably adapted for the measurement in situ of a relatively wide range of volumes, to avoid the need for transfer of the specimen to another measuring container. Moreover, the receptacle must be easily and effectively capable of sterilisation and, preferably, can be manipulated by the operator for measurement of the contents and their immediate disposal into the toilet bowl.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a new specimen-collecting receptacle.

It is a particular object to provide a new receptacle that is particularly well adapted for the rapid measurement in situ of a relatively wide range of specimen volumes.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a specimen-collecting receptacle for use in association with a toilet bowl, comprising a generally dish-shaped body of such size and shape as to effectively close the opening of the toilet bowl when in the normal operative position thereon for receipt of the whole of a specimen discharged into the toilet bowl opening, bracket means extending oppositely outwardly from the said body and adapted to extend in supportive engagement with the horizontal top surface of the toilet bowl edge to support the receptacle in the toilet bowl opening, each of the said 3,501,781 Patented Mar. 24, 1970 bracket means comprising a downwardly-extending part engaging a corresponding vertical inner edge of the toilet bowl to locate the receptacle in register therewith, the body when in said normal operative position having in the bottom portion thereof a downwardly-extending, well-like portion of substantially smaller horizontal cross-section than the remainder of the body, the well-like portion decreasing progressively in cross-section to be of substantially smaller cross-section at its bottom end than at its top end to permit accurate measurement at the bottom end of small quantities of specimen, the portions of the body wall which extend between the body opening and the said welllike portion being steep-sided to provide for movement under gravity of a specimen entering the body to the bottom of the well-like portion, and graduation indicia at least on the well wall portion to be visible to an operator looking downwards into the receptacle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view from above and to one side of a toilet, and showing a receptacle especially adapted for use in conjunction therewith,

FIGURE 2 is a part sectional view taken generally on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a part sectional view taken generally on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGURE 1 shows a conventional toilet comprising a toilet bowl 10, seat 11, cover 12, tank 13 and operating handle 14. The receptacle 15 for use with the toilet is of general dish or bowl shape with a large oval opening 16 for the entry of the specimen therein, this opening 16 regis tering with the seat opening and being sufliciently large in relation to the seat opening that any specimen will be deposited in the receptacle, despite different attitudes of the patient on the seat.

In this particular embodiment the receptacle bowl 15 is mounted on the toilet bowl by two outwardly-extending brackets 17, fastened by any suitable means to the edge of the bowl 15, and resting via two spaced steadying rubber bumpers 18 on the edge of the toilet bowl to support the receptacle at an appropriatelevel in relation to the seat. A downwardly extending part 19 of each bracket engages the inner vertical surface of the bowl to ensure the proper transverse location of the receptacle, and an aperture 20 enables it to be hung out of the way when not in use. The length of the brackets parallel to the opening 16 is such that the receptacle will not tip under the weight of the usual specimens received therein, but it can readily be tipped by an operator, when the seat is lifted, to deposit the contents into the toilet. As another precaution against tipping the bumpers 18 extend upwards from the brackets and are engaged by the underside of the seat.

The front portion 21 of the edge of the opening 16 has a shape suitable for pouring. The rear bottom portion of the receptacle body is provided with a downwardly-extending well 22, which protrudes down into the toilet bowl. The body wall portions extending between the opening 16 and the Well are smoothly shaped to extend progressively downwards, without any horizontal or nearly-horizontal parts, so as to provide for the flow under gravity of at least the liquid specimens to the bottom of the well. Solid specimens will usually also slide to the bottom of the well of their own accord, or can easily be made to do so by slight rocking of the receptacle. The well itself is tapered toward the bottom in both sideways and front-to-back directions, so that its cross-section reduces progressively and smoothly, and its rear wall portion 23 constitutes a substantially flat planar prolongation of the immediately ad- 3 jacent wall portion 24 of the receptacle body. At least the well wall portion 23, and usually the body wall portion 24 also, is provided with suitable graduation indicia, so that the volume of the specimen can be read directly by the operator loo-king down into the device.

In operation, a small specimen will quickly drain to the bottom of the relatively small cross-section well, and its volume quickly and accurately determined. As the volume of the specimen increases the need for great accuracy in measurement diminishes; the deposition of an unusually large specimen simply causes an overflow of the specimen out of the well into the main body of the receptacle. When the measurement and observation in situ is completed the receptacle is readily tilted to deposit th specimen directly into the toilet.

The preferred material for manufacture of a receptacle in accordance with the invention is stainless steel because of its strength, appearance and resistance to deterioration by chemical and physical attack. It is also contemplated that other materials could the used such as enameled steel, and plastics (e.g. suitable polyvinyl-chloride) that are sufficiently resistant to withstand the conditions encountered in normal hospital use. In some embodiments it may be preferred to employ a transparent or translucent material so that the volume indicia can be read through the receptacle wall, obviating the need for them to be read through the opening 16.

What I claim is:

1. A specimen-collecting receptacle for use in association with a toilet bowl comprising a generally dish-shaped body of such size and shape as to effectively close the opening of the toilet bowl when in normal operative position thereon for receipt of the whole of a specimen discharged into the toilet bowl opening, bracket means extending oppositely outwardly from the said body and adapted to extend in supportive engagement with a horizontal top surface of the toilet bowl edge to support the receptacle in the toilet bowl opening, each of the said bracket means comprising a downwardly-extending part engaging a corresponding vertical inner edge of the toilet bowl to locate the receptacle in register therewith, the body when in said normal operative position having in the bottom portion thereof a downwardly-extending welllike portion of substantially smaller horizontal cross-section than the remainder of the body, the well-like portion decreasing progressively in cross-section to be of substantially smaller cross-section at its bottom end than at its top end to permit accurate measurement at the bottom end of small quantities of specimen, the portions of the body wall which extend between the body opening and the said well-like portion being steep-sided to provide for movement under gravity of a specimen entering the body of the bottom of the well-like portion, and graduation indicia at least on the well wall portion to be visible to an operator looking downwards into the receptacle.

2. A receptacle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said well-like portion is disposed at the bottom rear portion of the receptacle body.

3. A receptacle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the front of the edge of the said opening in the receptacle body is formed as a pouring lip.

4. A receptacle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the part of the rear body wall immediately above the well-like portion and the corresponding rear part of the well wall are substantially planar prolongations of one another, and the said graduation indicia are provided on the said planar body and well wall parts.

5. A receptacle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the said bracket means includes respective steadying means in engagement with the toilet bowl upper edge and the under surface of the toilet seat to restrain tipping of the receptacle under the weight of the contents therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 201,939 8/1965 Weiler et al D83-1 3,137,010 6/1964 Ross 4141 3,177,500 4/1965 Bauman 4-110 3,401,408 9/1968 Buck 4-141 FOREIGN PATENTS 239,642 2/ 1946 Switzerland.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 4112 

